Monster Laker

[BoulderBronco]

Did you guys hear about the 25lb Laker some guy caught a few days ago?
I am pretty sure it was not caught in Winni though. I'm trying to find out where it was caught. The guy brought it to AJ's for an official weight. They traced it on cardboard and have it displayed on the wall from what I hear. Could you imagine pulling that thing out of Winni? If someone pulled a 25 pounder out of one of the smaller lakes what is in Winni?

[Mink Islander]

I'd heard about that Laker. No sure where it was caught. Not Winnie though.

I did catch a 7 pound cusk overnight last night. Had to chisel out the hole a second time to make it wide enough to pull that fat boy through. That would have been 1st place one day and 2nd the other in last year's derby. Only worth 90 to 100 bucks, but fun nonetheless!

[Chickie]

Nice catch, Mink Islander!

Cusk make the best chowder in the entire world. My Dad had a bob-house and we spent many a happy Sunday afternoon out on the lake when we were kids (in the 1940’s). We caught mostly perch but occasionally we would latch on to a cusk. When we did, it was cause for celebration, as we knew we would be feasting on chowder the next day. Mom sure made a great chowder!

My father used to tell how fishing had changed since the 1920’s and ‘30’s. He and a neighbor would go out for a day of fishing and usually return home with quite an array (cusk, trout, etc.) I don’t know what the limit was back then or whether there was one. The fish population gradually diminished over the years and was never the same after that. I remember setting lines at night and checking them the next morning. I believe cusk are night feeders, similar to horn-pout, but you do sometimes catch them during the daylight hours. Did you catch that one overnight?

[Mink Islander]

I usually set my 6 lines shortly before dusk. Use some 1 X 3s about 16 inches long, notched at both ends so I can wrap line on them easily. Painted Fluorescent orange with reflector tape on one end. I use 30 pd monofilament. You have to use at least an ounce of weight and and the hook has to be no more than 6 inches from the weight and the line must be on the bottom. Lots of rules but it lets you have six lines out. Makes it less likely you'll catch a laker. I usually cut a large shiner in half for bait. Just drop the baited line to the bottom and lay the line so it's in the middle of the hole -- so you're less likely to cut it chiseling out the ice later. I mound up snow next to the hole and stick the stick into it angled over the hole.

I check the lines at about 8 PM and again in the morning . Usually have a cusk on at least half the lines so it's reasonably productive. This big one was a nice surprise. The kids were disappointed it wasn't on the line last night when they ventured out with me.

Cusk is essentially a fresh water codfish. Ugly thing. Looks like a cross between a catfish (pout) and an eel. Slimy too. But excellent eating as you say. I find their rounder bodies a bit more challenging to fillet than trout or salmon.

[Ambrose Angler]

Hi MI - I've been fishing Winni from my family's lakehouse since I was 5 and I figure I've caught every game fish species in Winni except the cusk. I'm on a mission to get one. Unfortunately our portion of the lake, (Ambrose cove is north of Moultonboro bay) is not good cusk territory although I have seen neigbors get one or two over the years from a small rock pile. I'm looking for any advice you're willing to throw my way. I'm thinking of venturing out on a snowmobile to better my chances (at least south to Moultonboro bay..perhaps all the way to long island or tuftonboro neck))

Here si my basic battle plan..

1. best depth? 20-40feet
2. bottom type - rocky / clear water is what I'm told
3. relative geography - near a stream? heard thats where they are headed to mate?
4. bait - cut shiners/suckers seems to be standard..are dead perch legal? I know live perch isnt' but the rules aren't clear to me about dead perch
5. I actually caught a laker on my cusk trap last year..are you supposed to release non-cusk fish caught?....doesn't seem to make sense b/c after a noite of fighting a swallowed hook I don't think any fish has much of a chance.

Congrats on a 7# that wil make a good picture and chowder.

[winifisherman]

Your best chance to catch a cusk is through the ice, because you are allowed to fish up to 6 NH Fish and Game Department defined "Cusk fishing device(s)":

A device for storing line in a manner which is not free-running and is securely attached to the device and to which is attached a sinker, weighing at least one ounce, not more than 6 inches above, and independent of, an attached single hook for bait. The weight must rest on the bottom of the lake.

What they don't mention is you need to tie the other end of your line around the middle of a piece of scrap wood (eg 2"x2" 12+"), label it with your name and address, and then lay it down so it straddles your hole overnight...yupp, go home and get a goodnights rest. The bait to use is live baby suckers, which are as tough as nails and will swim about all night stirring up the silt and thereby attracting your prey. As such, I don't think its necessary to spend your money on chum bait and wouldn't waist time fishing over rocks.

Delicious chowder, they make!

[Mink Islander]

I position my sticks at a 45 degree angle over the hole so they're easier to find. The reflectors make them visible in case I go looking for them after dark. If you lay them flat and it snows overnight, good luck ever finding them again! To each his own. Not like you have a lot invested in the tackle! Mine are marked with name / address too as required. I buy hooks with a six inch snelled leader and use clips to attach them to the weight and the line. That way, if it's something small, I snip the line near the mouth without pulling it out of the water. Replacing the hook/leader is fast and easy.

As for bait, pretty much anything smelly will do. I've heard some people use chicken liver. I use the shiners because I buy them for my tip-ups anyway. Little suckers would do fine too. I've been experimenting with cut bait vs. live bait. So far, the cut bait seems to do a little better, but it's far from a statistically valid sample!

I catch the occasional laker too. Usually right after I drop the line before dark. I wouldn't keep them anyway, but I do think your restricted from keeping a trout caught on a cusk line.

Locations. The north side of Mink has a lot of shoal and boulders -- prime habitat for cusk, so I've never ventured elsewhere. I fish in 15-40 feet over mostly sandy bottom but relatively near shore. When I've gone further away from ledge or deeper, I haven't caught much. I wonder how far they will cruise from "home" looking for food?. I have had lines get dragged into the rocks and wrapped up/fouled, which is why I move out a little further to mostly sandy bottom.

[hilltopper]

If I had to guess, that fat boy probably cam out of Winnisquam. There's some monsters in there!

[Chickie]

Where do horn pout go in winter? Has anyone ever caught a pout through the ice? I never have and don’t recall anyone else having done so either. Do they hibernate, or go south to warmer waters perhaps? Just wonderin’ – never gave it much thought before.

[mg2107]

How about Newfound lake . Also has some big ones. I think a record laker was caught out of there some years ago

[AC2717]

Currently do you need a license to go ice fishing if so can you give me the break down?
Also how many lines or holes are you allowed? does it depend on type of rods and what not

Can you give someone give me the total breakdown -abridged version of course?
Thank you

[BoulderBronco]

Originally Posted by AC2717

Currently do you need a license to go ice fishing if so can you give me the break down?
Also how many lines or holes are you allowed? does it depend on type of rods and what not

Can you give someone give me the total breakdown -abridged version of course?
Thank you

Yes a license is required. You are allowed two lines total. That means two tip ups, or a tip up and jigging rod. You are not allowed to use two tip ups and jig at the same time. For Cusk fishing you are allowed 6 Cusk fishing devices. If anything other than Cusk is caught on a Cusk device it must be immediatly released. For the Cusk devices there must be a 1oz minimum weight no more than 6" from the hook. That weight must sit on the bottom of the lake. Lastly if you catch a Salmon you are not allowed to even pull it out of the hole. You must cut the line to release it.
There are other rules of course but those are the ones that matter.

[Coolbreeze]

Does bringing a Salmon through the ice hurt the fish? When we were kids we brought Salmon through the ice simply to identify what the heck it was. Once it was identified, a picture was taken we put them back in and they swam away. I'm curious and need a good reason to tell my kids other than the fish police will lock up Daddy.

[BoulderBronco]

Yeah. I believe they are a sensitive fish. Honestly I sometimes do the same thing. Take it out of the hole to verify it's a Salmon. Just don't do it infront of F&G or they will fine you. But when/if you do take it out I would still cut the line. Messing with the hook can cause trauma to the Salmon.

[Mink Islander]

Part of the answer for your kids is that aside from the additional stress on the fish you cause by pulling it out of the water, you are also exposing its gills to sub freezing temps. It takes no time at all to sear the gills (freeze them) on a cold day and while the fish may swim away, it will surely die soon thereafter when it's gills no longer function. It is really not difficult to tell whether you have a salmon, a rainbow or a laker by looking at the fish in the hole before you bring it out and I'd work on teaching the kids how to do that. If it's a salmon, cut the line and let it go. I'd also tell the kids that the stocked salmon are a precious resource and we all benefit from doing all we can to protect it in the winter months. That's why all the rules exist and that they are truly for our collective benefit.

[secondcurve]

Originally Posted by Mink Islander

Part of the answer for your kids is that aside from the additional stress on the fish you cause by pulling it out of the water, you are also exposing its gills to sub freezing temps. It takes no time at all to sear the gills (freeze them) on a cold day and while the fish may swim away, it will surely die soon thereafter when it's gills no longer function. It is really not difficult to tell whether you have a salmon, a rainbow or a laker by looking at the fish in the hole before you bring it out and I'd work on teaching the kids how to do that. If it's a salmon, cut the line and let it go. I'd also tell the kids that the stocked salmon are a precious resource and we all benefit from doing all we can to protect it in the winter months. That's why all the rules exist and that they are truly for our collective benefit.

A very good explanation!

[BoulderBronco]

Originally Posted by secondcurve

A very good explanation!

Second that. I knew there was a more detaile reason than what I stated. My problem is, even after 30 years of fishing Winni I struggle big time at identifying a Salmon vs. Rainbow. I have caught tons of Salmon so I know what they look like. But I just caught my firs Bow, ever, last winter. To me they look very similar.

[Coolbreeze]

Thanks for the info. I do understand the reasoning and I'd rather cut the line and let the hook dissolve than put a unresponsive fish back down the hole belly up. I am working on improving my fish id. skills. I guess I don't see alot of them through the ice...or in the spring or summer, but I drown alot of shiners trying. Nice chatting with you all I have to change the string on my tip-ups now.

[Ken E]

Originally Posted by BoulderBronco

Did you guys hear about the 25lb Laker some guy caught a few days ago?
I am pretty sure it was not caught in Winni though. I'm trying to find out where it was caught. The guy brought it to AJ's for an official weight. They traced it on cardboard and have it displayed on the wall from what I hear. Could you imagine pulling that thing out of Winni? If someone pulled a 25 pounder out of one of the smaller lakes what is in Winni?

I heard that big guy was caught up in Nubanusit.

[Senter Cove Guy]

Just for perspective, the NH record for lake trout is 39.50 inches, 28 lbs 8 oz taken in Newfound Lake on 04/24/58.
Checkout this link: http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fish...ecord_fish.htm

[SteveA]

I watched this thread and wanted to post a picture of a big Winni Laker. Problem was I couldn't find the darn picture. Well, I found it.

This older fella came splashing across the ice in a pick up truck one day in mid March 1988, (maybe it was 89) ... anyway he was stopping at every Bob House on his way from Long Island to Ellacoya to show off his fish. He told us he caught it jigging just off the tip of Long Island in about 10' of water.

Never got his name and I don't know exactly how big it was. It was a big one though.

Damn, I had a lot more hair back in 88...

[NonVoting Taxpayer]

If the cigarette in his hand is about 3 inches long and the older guy is not standing too far back from the fish, the ration of the cigarette to the fish would make it approximately 33 inches long.

[SteveA]

I measured the shadow on my shirt and pant leg to myself today. I came up with 33".

The fish looks about the same length "shadow" and "actual fish", so I'm assuming that negates the "hold it closer to the camera and it will look bigger" fisherman use!

[SIKSUKR]

The way I figured it,Steves head is 11 inches long and the fish is almost exactly 3 Steve heads!

[SteveA]

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

The way I figured it,Steves head is 11 inches long and the fish is almost exactly 3 Steve heads!

I knew this advice would come in handy someday.

Glad I didn't eat it.

[Arubaman]

Here is a photo from NHFG,Nubanusit Lake This Lake Trout was caught doing there trout survey this year.

The fish weighed 27 to 31 pounds and estimate length was over 40 inches, the fish scale ruler only went up to 40 inches, they did not want to weigh the fish so they would not stress it out

[Steveo]

About 10 years ago I was boating home passing Black Point when I noticed a boat in the distance that had 3 guys draped over the side of the boat. I went to check it out and saw that all three were holding a fish (big fish) that I had to assume was a laker. They were moving the fish back and forth trying to pass water (oxygen) through the gills before they released. This thing had to be about 3 feet long.

So being the rookie I was I asked " what'd ya catch it on?"

With a good smirk one of them answered "Jitterbug - on the surface"

A true story